Frangible (adj)
fran-jib-l
Able to be broken into fragments; brittle or fragile.
Late Middle English: from Old French, or from medieval Latin frangibilis, from Latin frangere ‘to break’.
Draconian (adj)
drak-oh-nee-un
(of laws or their application) excessively harsh and severe.
Late 19th century: from the name of Draco (see Draco) + -ian.
Quartan (adj)
kwor-tun
Denoting a mild form of malaria causing a fever that recurs every third day.
Late Middle English: from Latin ( febris) quartana, based on Latin quartus ‘fourth’ (because, by inclusive reckoning, the fever recurs every fourth day).
Groggy (adj)
grog-ee
Dazed, weak, or unsteady, especially from illness, intoxication, sleep, or a blow.
Similar to a hangover from the alcoholic drink grog. The word grog comes from “Old Grog,” which was the nickname sailors gave to Admiral Vernon, the commander in chief of the West Indies.
Obviously there are hundreds of books and authors to choose from so we’ve just listed a few for January in case you’re in need of inspiration. Read More
How did you get on with our 2018 challenge? Did you finish it? Did you even start? If not why not?
For 2019 we decided to do something a little different. Each month you pick a book, any book, by an author who is born that month. Easy!
I’ll ask for suggestions on the Cwts Club Discussion Group, but you can pick any author born in that month off your TBR pile, or try someone new!
I’ve started you off here with a couple of ideas for each month.
Scabrous (adj)
skab-rus
Rough and covered with, or as if with, scabs./Unpleasant unattractive.
Indecent; salacious.
Late 16th century (first used to describe an author’s style as ‘harsh, unmusical, unpolished’): from French scabreux or late Latin scabrosus, from Latin scaber ‘rough’.
Mythomane (noun)
mith-o-mayn
A mythomaniac, someone obsessed with mythology.
1950s; earliest use found in Encounter. From French mythomane from mytho- + -mane.
Arenicolous (adj)
a-ren-ik-u-lus
living, burrowing, or growing in sand
Latin arena + English -i- + -colous
Sobriquet (noun)
sow-brik-ay
A person’s nickname.
Mid 17th century: French, originally in the sense ‘tap under the chin’, of unknown origin.